BMW M3 GT4 to be revealed in Geneva

BMW has a pretty good history with modifying cars for competition (anyone remember E46 M3s that dominated the American Le Mans Series before the rules changed?)
So it’s a big deal when BMW announces a new track car.
We don’t have any technical information on the M3 GT4 yet, but we should get a full breakdown when we see it at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

All we know right now is this race car was developed on BMW’s private race track in Aschheim, Bavaria and privateer teams may specify their own individual parts from the respective racing kits according to the series they are competing in.
The M3 GT4 will be priced at around €120,000 (about $153,000 at direct current rates).

Press release after the jump.

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BMW Motorsport is offering teams and drivers a new, highly attractive vehicle: At the wheel of the BMW M3 GT4, privateers have the opportunity to race for points and victories in various series. The BMW Motorsport Distribution Division is now accepting orders for this impressive race car. The price for the ready-to-race car amounts to €120,000 (plus VAT).

“In 2009, we will witness the BMW M3 racing not only for the BMW Rahal Letterman Racing Team in the American Le Mans series. The new BMW M3 GT4 now also provides private teams with numerous opportunities,” says BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen. “For over 50 years customer racing has been a cornerstone of BMW’s motorsport programmes. After all, what better global ambassador for the performance pedigree of BMW cars than a privateer who is competing for victory in a BMW vehicle.”

By purchasing a car from BMW Motorsport, customer teams are offered more than just a competitive product. The offered vehicles are the result of intensive development programmes. Only reliable parts, which also provide excellent competitiveness and cost to performance ratios, find their way into competition. During development BMW Motorsport relies on ultra-modern test beds, its own test track situated in Aschheim, Bavaria, and the experience of its in-house experts. In addition, privateer teams may specify their own individual parts from the respective racing kits according to the series they are competing in.

Since 2006 the BMW 320si WTCC has successfully proven itself as the mainstay of the BMW customer racing programme, with the model having won four FIA World Touring Car Championship titles for BMW. To date over 60 racing kits have been supplied to BMW racing teams. The racing version of the BMW Z4 M Coupe, too, has proven successful, particularly in endurance events where BMW privateers have celebrated numerous triumphs over the past years. Racing kit versions of the BMW 120d, which is also mainly suited to endurance racing, have been on offer since March 2006.

Drivers competing with BMW products are offered a special incentive by the marque: the BMW Sports Trophy has existed since the sixties. The aim is to offer a broad support base to all BMW privateers. Drivers competing in a wide variety of series across the globe are able to amass points towards the overall classification. The purse for the 2009 BMW Sport Trophy amounts to €250,000.